Collide
by OmniStrife
Summary: After five years of running, they finally thought they were safe. The experiments were in the past, and all that mattered was their blooming love. But when they start thinking it's too good to be true, that's always when things go wrong. ZxC, pregame.


**Author's Notes:**

Yay! The long-awaited oneshot! At least, long-awaited for me. And it's not even really a oneshot anymore. It just got too damn long. So it will probably end up being two or three chapters, depending on how long it gets (no, it's still not finished). And, as usual, I'm sorry for the length of the author's note. I really can't shut up sometimes. *sweatdrop* But I really think it's important info. Nevertheless, you may skip it if you wish.

Okay, so it's slightly AU because I changed some of the line of events to make the story fit better to the song it's based on (Collide, by Howie Day). For the purpose of this story, this is how all those game events happened (and if you really want to, you can consider the line of events in 'Last Order' too, if you've seen it):

Cloud kills Sephiroth in the Nibelheim reactor (as seen in the game/movie)  
Cloud and Zack are taken to the Shinra mansion for mako experiments (also in the game/movie)  
*Zack helps Cloud escape almost immediately and they run from Shinra for five years (instead of being experimented on for five years and then escaping)  
Then, this story happens.

So that's how it's different. Don't flame me for changing it please.

Okay, so here's some stuff you will need to know:

**Summary:** Based on the song "Collide" by Howie Day. Takes place on the day of Zack's death, starting that morning and progressing through the day.

**Pairing:** Cloud/Zack, slight mention of Cloud/Seph, but not really

**Warnings:** Fluff, mush, yaoi, sex, kink, violence, death… in that order. It's also so lemony you might OD and end up in rehab. If this happens, I'm deeply sorry. Actually, the lemons are kind of making me want to not post it. I'm afraid there might be… too many. I know some people think that's not possible, but the administrators of this site are not those people. So please be nice and don't report me. If you don't like yaoi, you shouldn't be reading this anyway.

**Where it came from:** I had Zack on the brain and I heard the song, compared it to Zack's Death, and decided to paraphrase the song (I seem to have a habit of doing that) and stick Cloud and Zack in there. I literally wrote line by line, for the most part, with breaks now and then for… *ahem* other stuff…

**Why: **Well, I wanted to write a songfic, but I didn't like the way other people did it (nothing against them), with the story happening and then random song lines that kind of apply to the events just thrown in there, almost like background music. Besides, I didn't _mean_ to come up with this idea. It's all Howie Day's fault. Blame him.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own nothin', characters, places, or song. All belong to their respective creators.

All right, enough of my ramblings.

* * *

**Collide**

The sun was just creeping over the horizon as the young, raven-haired man awoke, causing everything around him to glow a hazy, fiery orange. He sighed, letting warmth soak into his bare skin. The light sheet just barely covering his nudity looked as though it were made of flames as its pure white color reflected the sliver of sun shining through the window that looked out over the quaint town of Kalm.

_Such an appropriate name,_ he mused. The town was indeed very calm, especially this early in the morning. The young man raised his arms to fold his hands behind his head, the gravity-defying black spikes he called hair flopping slightly as he used his own arms as a second pillow. The light from the breaking dawn had begun to slither up his muscular torso, making his perfectly toned physique slightly more defined because of the now visible small shadows dancing on his body. He didn't dare move. He was far too lazy—far too _comfortable_, he corrected himself—and perfectly tangled up in the sheet, and in his companion.

A soft smile appeared on his face as he turned his head slowly to his left to look at the beautiful person next to him. Never in his life did he think he'd be so happy to wake up next to someone else. Never did he think he'd be so happy to have _this_ someone be the first thing he laid eyes on in the morning. Never did he think he'd look upon something so gloriously stunning as the person sleeping soundly at his side.

He was breathtaking.

The black-haired Soldier slowly rolled over onto his left side, being very careful, not only to refrain from disturbing the slumbering blond, but also to avoid untangling their entwined legs. He wanted to stay tangled up, wanted to keep them woven together, so they'd never have to part.

He watched the young man's body rise and fall in steady rhythm with his quiet breathing. His face was half buried in his pillow and his left hand rested just under his chin, curled loosely around a chunk of the pillowcase. Blond spikes of hair, equally as gravity defying as his own, framed the angelic face, glowing in tantamount with the fieriness of the dawn.

The Soldier smirked. It looked like the cadet's head was on fire. Of course, this thought just had to pop into his head to ruin the moment. _The story of my life,_ he thought lightheartedly.

Almost on cue, the youth sighed, swallowing and making a few quiet smacking noises with his mouth. The dark-haired man's face softened as he let his eyes wander over the blond's exposed body. He was comfortably sprawled out on his stomach, the sheet they shared being the only thing covering him from his hips to their intertwined legs. His back, strong looking despite his petite build, just added to the number of things in the room that absorbed the sun's orangey color, making it seem like the young man was made of gold.

The Soldier reached over to the younger man and gently slipped his fingers into the mass of fluffy, yellow spikes. The blond hair was amazingly soft against his calloused, battle-hardened hands. It felt nice as he lay there for a good five minutes, just stroking the cadet's hair and admiring his sheer beauty.

The young man suddenly yawned and slowly opened his eyes, revealing two pools of pure blue, misted over with sleep. Those eyes rose gradually, as if they were being weighed down with their owner's fatigue. When blue eyes made contact with grey ones, the blond smiled.

"Getting sentimental again, Zack?" he asked in a voice husky from slumber. He smirked as he turned over slightly and rested on his elbow. Zack's hand moved from the blond's hair to his own so he could rest his head on it.

"Only around you," he answered after a moment. The way the blond had moved caused the sheet to slip a little further down his body, giving an extremely teasing view of a surprisingly shapely hip and a well-defined torso. Zack gawked openly, albeit appreciatively.

The younger man blushed. "Zack, you're staring again."

Zack's eyes didn't move. "Mmhmm." Could he help it if he just liked to look?

The blond blushed deeper and flopped over onto his back, still not bothering to pull the sheet up to cover his body. Zack's face twisted into his characteristic, lopsided smirk as he laid himself back down as well. He reached out to the blond with both arms, wrapping them around his waist and pulling him closer. The youth was trying not to look at him and it was amusing to see that it was a difficult task for him.

Zack rested his forehead on the young man's temple, his mouth hovering over his ear. "Cloud," he whispered, his warm breath tickling the blond's neck. "Can I keep you?"

Cloud turned his head, a small smile on his lips as he looked up into the older man's eyes. He nodded ever so slightly.

Zack smiled and pulled the blond closer to share a soft kiss. Cloud wrapped his arms around Zack's waist, further entwining their legs in the process. When they parted, the dark-haired Soldier leaned his head on Cloud's shoulder as the blond laid back on his pillow.

"Cloud…"

"Hmm?" the blond answered as sleep threatened to overtake him again.

"You wouldn't… leave me, would you?" Zack's head rose and turned to look at the younger man.

Cloud opened his eyes and stared affectionately into Zack's pools of strangely glowing grey. "Why would I want to leave you?" he asked as one of his hands moved from Zack's waist to his jet-black hair, the dark spikes twisting around his fingers.

Zack looked pensive as he rested his head once again on Cloud's shoulder. "I dunno. I just… I sometimes worry that I'll wake up one day and you'll be gone. I worry that I won't ever get to see your face light up like it does when you're with me."

Cloud's fingers continued to toy with Zack's hair. "Zack, that's ridiculous."

The Soldier only sighed.

"Zack." He looked at Cloud. "I'd follow you anywhere. Anywhere you go, I'll be right there, too. You'll be sick of me."

"Yeah right," was all Zack said as he planted a kiss on the blond's lips before resting back on his shoulder. His right arm found its way across Cloud's stomach, his hand draping over the youth's hip. He absentmindedly rubbed his thumb back and forth over the smooth, pale flesh there.

He thought back to a few years ago, when they'd first met; probably about six years now. Cloud had entered the SOLDIER training school with countless others. Zack had already been there for a couple of years and had made it to First Class. He wasn't sure what had made the cadet stand out to him so much. He was shy, quiet, jumpy. He looked angry and depressed, but determined as all hell. He was just so blissfully broken that Zack couldn't help but want to put him back together again. He'd been attached like a magnet to metal from the moment their eyes met, or rather, from the moment Cloud's look had basically shot poisoned daggers straight into Zack's soul.

_How romantic,_ he mused.

The Soldier had to smile as he remembered those first few months with Cloud. The two teens were the epitome of contradiction together, Zack being the cheery, outgoing fun-lover who was _extremely_ open about who he was, and Cloud being the distant, angry, occasionally violent cadet who would sooner punch a person for smiling at him than even _think_ about smiling back. Zack did eventually find out that there were reasons behind that act—there were always reasons for stuff like that—but only after the Soldier had used his most insistent and annoyingly sweet prying tactics.

Zack chuckled. He should win one of those formal awards for a psychological discovery—the Nobel Prize or something. After all, he was the founder of the "Cloud-Deciphering Method".

"What's so funny?" Cloud mumbled tiredly. Zack could feel the vibrations of the blond's voice in his chest as he spoke.

"Just thinking about when we first met," Zack said dreamily. His fingers still rubbed gently on Cloud's hip.

The blond sighed, Zack's head rising and falling with the motion of his chest. "Oh."

Zack smiled. Cloud had always been the master of the monosyllabic answer.

The dark-haired man sighed as well and nuzzled his face into the blond's neck as they both fell back into peaceful, relaxed slumber.

* * *

"Give the large one more mako."

Something sharp jabbed him in the side. He tried to scream but his cries were lost in his throat before they even had any chance of passing his lips. He opened his eyes but everything was surrounded in a green haze and it blurred his vision. Distorted figures moved around him, but he couldn't make out what they were.

"Sir! It's only making him stronger!"

"Don't worry. That glass is unbreakable."

He just barely was able to make out what they were saying. His whole body burned, seemingly from the inside out. It felt like there was fire flowing through his veins instead of blood, but it was strangely invigorating. The pain in his side had dulled, but not disappeared and since this feeling started with that first stab he knew it was the source of this unexpected exhilaration.

Comprehension suddenly seemed to smack him in the face. He knew this feeling. He wouldn't have made it into SOLDIER without mako treatments. But this was different.

He looked around at the still blurry figures moving around. They didn't seem to notice he was awake. Perhaps he would just observe them for a while. Just to see exactly what was happening.

The pain in his side went away just as quickly as it had come. It made him flinch, but that was it. The mako still tearing through his system made it seem like nothing more than a tiny pinch. The scientists, as he assumed them to be, were scurrying about, their blurry white figures, tinted green by whatever fluid he was watching them through, moving around him hurriedly.

Their speech was now only slightly muffled. The mako was working its way to his senses, his hearing being the first thing to pick up.

"The blond one is having very negative reactions to the mako, sir," one scientist observed as another approached.

_Blond? Negative reactions?_ he thought.

"Give him more," the superior scientist instructed. He then approached the 'larger one'. "Ah, my specimen. You're quite the hardy boy aren't you? But then, I suppose even the best must fall down sometime," he said as he tapped on the glass, sending ear-splitting waves of sound through the so-called 'specimen's' brain. The scientist leaned in to the glass. "Yes, I always knew you'd make a fascinating subject, Zack." A slimy, creepy sort of chuckle erupted from him as he went back over to the other container. Zack followed him with his eyes, being careful to not move too noticeably so as not to give his consciousness away.

He was just at a good enough angle so that he could see into said container, which he now identified as a tube, probably identical to his own current confinement. Inside it, though, was something that made him want to punch right through the supposedly unbreakable glass: Cloud.

_His_ Cloud.

It took all of his will power to not use his newly acquired mako-strength to really give them something to observe.

Cloud was obviously unconscious. Zack could tell even through the green haze that made his vision so unfocused. Gods, he looked so helpless. How did they possibly get into this mess?

He closed his eyes when Cloud began shaking violently, probably from an injection of mako, and the memories slowly crept into his mind.

The monsters, the reactor, Jenova…

Sephiroth.

Sephiroth had nearly killed him. And that girl—what was her name? Cloud's old friend. Tifa. That was it.

_Sure hope she's okay,_ he thought. He highly doubted she was. Sephiroth had nearly sliced the poor girl down the middle.

But Cloud… Cloud had saved her. Cloud had saved them both. Cloud had killed Sephiroth. Zack remembered hearing the General hit the mako-powered electrical wires that fueled the reactor, and he knew he was gone. It pulled at his heart so much that it physically hurt to think about it. But it had to be done.

Cloud had to kill Zack's best friend.

Not that it couldn't have been just as hard for Cloud. The cadet had worshipped the man. Zack couldn't have even begun to imagine what it must have been like for a boy to kill his hero.

The sudden silence pulled the Soldier away from his thoughts. He opened his eyes to find the room empty, save for Cloud and himself. The young boy hung limply, suspended by straps of leather under his arms. He was breathing hard and the green glow surrounding them both had died down, though not completely. Zack watched Cloud sadly. He was so young. A sixteen-year-old shouldn't have already lived his life to this extent.

_We have to get out of here. I at least owe him that much._

* * *

Cloud awoke to soft whimpers and cries from the dark-haired Soldier still resting on his chest. He looked extremely troubled, his usually happy, goofy expression completely taken over by a painful frown. The blond raised his right hand to run it through the older man's hair.

"Zack," he whispered gently. He knew it wouldn't be loud enough to wake the larger man, but that wasn't his intention anyway. Zack slept like a damned rock. Almost nothing fazed him.

"Zack," Cloud whispered again, combing his fingers through dark spikes. Zack's arms tightened around Cloud's waist as he unconsciously buried his face in the blond's neck.

Cloud jumped when Zack suddenly let out a painful cry. "No! Cloud!"

The younger man shifted himself so he could pry Zack's arms away from his waist. "Zack! Wake up!" he yelled.

The Soldier gasped and opened his eyes, blinking a few times before focusing on the young man next to him.

"You were dreaming," Cloud said quietly.

Zack rested his head back on Cloud's chest and nodded silently, the feeling of desperation still lingering from the nightmare.

"Was it the same one?"

The dark-haired man only nodded again, his face hidden under his hair.

Cloud placed his thumb and forefinger under the Soldier's chin and lifted his head so they were face to face. "Zack. It's been five years since we escaped the experiments in Nibelheim. We don't have to worry anymore." The blond spoke softly, trying to soothe the one he cared for so deeply.

Zack just sighed. Cloud gave him a small smile and kissed him tenderly. The younger man could feel the Soldier relax when their lips made contact. Deciding to be bold, he opened his mouth a little wider so he could run his tongue along the older man's bottom lip. If this surprised Zack, he didn't show it; he only followed suit and invited Cloud in. The light-haired cadet wasn't used to being in charge, but he most certainly didn't mind, and neither did Zack, apparently. This newfound control inspired a bit of bravery in the blond, and it was more than a little exciting. They'd been together for five years now. Cloud figured it was about time he took a little initiative instead of letting Zack make all the moves.

He pushed the Soldier back, causing them both to roll over. Cloud could feel a twinge of nervous anticipation building in the pit of his stomach as he nimbly moved to straddle Zack's hips without breaking the kiss. He felt the older man's hands slide down his arms and he grabbed them, folding their fingers together as he pushed the Soldier's arms over his head.

"Cloud…" Zack whispered when the contact of their mouths ceased. He squeezed the blond's hands, finding it the only way to hold on to him so they'd never be separated.

Cloud worked his way down Zack's jaw line, occasionally scraping his teeth lightly over the sensitive area. He chuckled a little when the Soldier under him let out a squeak as the blond slid the tip of his tongue over Zack's Adam's apple and nipped at the base of his neck. Cloud let go of Zack's hands so he could descend further, and the Soldier only consented to releasing him so he could do so. The younger man traced his lips and tongue around the firm muscles on Zack's chest and stomach, finding himself happily fascinated when they tensed and relaxed at his touch.

Zack, having kept his arms over his head to give Cloud free range, squeezed the corners of the pillow under his head when the cadet slid his whole body down that of the Soldier, the surfaces of their naked flesh slipping against each other as Cloud continued his trail. The blond's agile tongue circled around the older man's navel before continuing downward as his hands ran lightly over Zack's hips. The smaller man glanced up at the Soldier and grinned mischievously before disappearing under the sheet.

Zack didn't have time to be surprised at Cloud's sudden courage because he was putting that courage to good use before the older man could blink. The fact that he couldn't see the cadet was even more arousing because there wasn't any way he could predict what he would do. The Soldier gasped and squeezed the pillow tighter and forced his lower body to stay put as that clever tongue pulled off some _very_ neat tricks between his legs.

Zack half moaned Cloud's name and squeezed his eyes shut when the blond chuckled from under the sheet, his voice sending vibrations through the Soldier's body. Cloud, probably having just figured out the effect of that last move, hummed a little, soft and low, almost more of a purr than an actual hum. It was maddening, combined with the blond's extremely talented tongue and his ghost-like figure under the sheet. The larger man suddenly felt a light scraping of teeth, and he completely lost all control, the young cadet's name spilling over his lips again as the hot energy inside him released itself.

Cloud appeared from under the sheet and crawled back up Zack's body, occasionally dropping quick kisses on his way. The sun had fully risen and it shone brightly through the window, its light reflecting off of the elder man's slightly sweaty skin, making him glisten. Cloud flopped down on top of him and laughed when the Soldier grunted at the sudden addition of weight.

The cadet set his head down on Zack's chest and closed his eyes. "I love you."

The dark-haired man sighed. "Mmm…"

Cloud felt a hand running through his hair and smiled, nuzzling his face in to Zack's chest. It had taken him so long to convince himself to say those words. So long, in fact, that the blond cadet wasn't sure if he'd ever say them with meaning, especially to Zack. He was so different from the man now acting as his pillow; they were near complete opposites. Six years ago, he never would have thought he'd be where he was now. His first impression of Zack hadn't inspired anything but annoyance. He was loud, obnoxious, almost sickeningly sweet to everyone, and entirely too _nice_ to be even remotely interested in someone like Cloud.

Not that he'd wanted Zack's attention. For a long time, he felt like he wouldn't ever get rid of the hyperactive Soldier. He was never quiet. Cloud could tolerate loud people. Cloud could tolerate a _lot_ of things. But Zack was always there, blabbing away, and not about just any old thing. Everything Zack said was about Cloud, and that was what got to the cadet. The Soldier would tell him he was too quiet, or too shy, or too serious. It drove him insane.

Eventually, though, the young cadet decided to "lighten up" as Zack would always say, and he gave in to the older man's antics, albeit rather unwillingly. They spent a lot of time together, and Cloud was shocked to find himself completely at odds with his better judgment.

He had fallen in love.

As soon as he discovered that, he felt odd, awkward. And extremely frustrated. It wasn't the fact that Zack was a guy. Cloud had been secretly lusting over Sephiroth for the entirety of his adolescence, much like many others his age, so he was no stranger to the idea of homosexuality. It was just that Cloud had never even considered that he might fall in love at all, much less with someone who might possibly love him back. It scared him.

Zack told him once that the reason he paid Cloud so much attention was that he could never get him out of his head. That scared the young blond. He wasn't sure why it scared him, but it did. Perhaps it was because he just never thought it would happen. He was insignificant, unimportant, too small for his age, too quiet and mean-spirited for anyone to even look at. How the hell had he managed to catch the attention of a first class SOLDIER?

It seemed unlikely, but it happened. It must have happened, otherwise he wouldn't be where he was now: lying naked in bed atop an equally naked former SOLDIER, First Class who absolutely adored him, after spending the night in the only Inn in Kalm "going at it like bunnies," as Zack would say. An image of Zack in a vaguely sexy bunny outfit popped into Cloud's head, and he laughed.

"What?" the Soldier asked, twirling a blond spike around his fingers.

Cloud looked up at him, resting his chin on the elder man's chest. "I thought of something funny."

Zack smirked. "Duh."

Cloud pulled himself up so they were nose-to-nose. "I was fantasizing," he whispered over his lover's mouth.

The Soldier smiled mischievously. "Oh, really?"

"Mm-hmm…" Cloud trailed a line of kisses along Zack's jawline, ending it as he reached the larger man's ear. He nibbled lightly and his lover let out a breath.

"What about?" Zack questioned curiously.

"You," came the simple answer.

"Oh, really?" the Soldier repeated, interested.

"Mm-hmm." Cloud continued the trail down Zack's neck, making the ebony-haired man wiggle a little.

"And what was I doing?" The cadet had captured the older man's hands in his own and pinned them over both of their heads.

Cloud chuckled and answered honestly as he lightly ran his teeth over Zack's collarbone. "Wearing a sexy bunny outfit."

Zack laughed. "Oh Cloud, I've taught you well." Cloud's tongue circled around the Soldier's nipple before he lightly bit down on it. "Dear gods, I've taught you well…" Zack gasped.

"Mm-hmm…" the blond said again in agreement.

Zack freed his hands, which weren't being held very tightly anyway, and grabbed Cloud's shoulders, pulling the younger man closer. Their mouths crashed together and a battle for dominance began, enlisting tongues and teeth as if they were at war. Cloud put up a fierce fight, but only for the sake of making Zack's victory all the more exciting for both sides.

Zack switched places with the cadet, rolling them over so that he was on top, and taking Cloud's previous position of straddling the other's hips.

The Soldier leaned over and whispered in the blond's ear, "Shall we… assess how much you've learned, cadet?"

Cloud barely stifled a giggle. "Sir, yes, sir," he said with a chuckle as he snaked one of his hands between the elder man's thighs. The blond knew it took all of Zack's will power to pull away. The man's sex drive was insatiable, but Cloud also knew he would do all he could to make it worthwhile for both of them. Still, the cadet loved to tease his Colonel. To prove that point, he arched into the Soldier as they kissed, pulling Zack closer so their hips would grind together and eliciting a yelp from his lover.

"Cloud…" Zack whispered, sounding as though he was working hard to control his voice.

_He probably is,_ Cloud mused. "Yes, Colonel?" He loved poking fun at Zack's SOLDIER rank. It made lovemaking far more entertaining. _Their_ military ranks were real, whereas some other couples could only pretend, making up some kind of kinky role-playing game. Amused by that thought, he took Zack's verbal pause as an opportunity to slip his tongue into the older man's mouth. Oh yes, this newfound bravery would work well for him.

The blond bucked his hips and the Soldier emitted a low moan, more of a growl really, into his lover's mouth. "Cloud…" he mumbled.

"Hmm?" Cloud took up working his way over Zack's jawbone instead of his mouth so he could speak. His right hand ran over a nipple, just because he felt like making things difficult for the Soldier… and it worked.

"Y—you're going to… end this prematurely… if you keep that up…" he stuttered, slightly out of breath.

Cloud chuckled, his mind understandably drawing some very dirty thoughts from that statement. "Keep what up, _sir_?" His hand danced down to Zack's backside and he lightly scratched his fingernails over the sensitive flesh. The older man huffed out a breath and finally gave in to the almost painful desire that the blond under him was provoking.

Cloud gasped and smiled triumphantly as the Soldier pounced on him, his hands and mouth seemingly everywhere at once. The blond could feel Zack's arousal just barely brushing against his own, and he pushed his hips up again, encouraging him.

The Soldier's hands ran over Cloud's chest as their lips met again. The younger man wrapped his arms around Zack's neck, entangling his fingers in sable spikes of hair. He felt a pinch on his nipple and he thrust his hips up again, this time unintentionally.

"Zack…" he whispered over his lover's lips.

"I want you." The Soldier's voice was breathy, slightly husky.

Cloud tightened his grip on Zack's neck and pressed their foreheads together, looking straight into the elder man's grey eyes. "You have me."

Zack reached up to Cloud's hands and brought them down from his neck, folding their fingers together. "Don't leave me, okay?"

The request was so serious, so quiet. It made Cloud's heart ache. "I won't," he promised as he placed a chaste kiss on the other man's lips.

Before they had been apart for more than a moment, Zack seized the cadet's mouth once again and the blond reveled in his taste. "Take me," he murmured.

Zack shuddered at the desperate, yet strangely innocent plea. He sat up and felt around under his pillow with one hand, the other still holding Cloud's. When he located the small bottle, he flipped open the cap and squeezed a bit out onto his fingers. Then an idea popped into his head and Cloud laughed at his expression as his eyes widened for a moment before a slow grin spread over his face. In all, a very 'Zack' kind of thing to do.

"Something wrong, Colonel?" Cloud asked, a laugh catching in his throat. Zack's grin turned playful, almost downright evil, as he leaned down again, folding his oil-slicked fingers with Cloud's. "I'm thinking you should help this time."

The blond wasn't sure what to make of that. The Soldier used the excess lubricant on his fingers to cover Cloud's, and this confused the younger man. He looked up into playful grey eyes. "How am I supposed to help?"

Zack chuckled as he stole a quick kiss, guiding the cadet's hand down his body and then under it. "You do it."

"But—"

"That's an order, cadet," Zack whispered, his tone riddled with humor.

Cloud slowly processed the demand, that familiar nervous excitement pushing adrenaline through his system. Zack wanted him to prepare himself. Mentally shrugging, since he couldn't really move his shoulders, he decided it might be fun. Kinky, even.

Zack shifted himself so that he was between Cloud's legs instead of on top of them.

Tentatively, Cloud reached down and pushed a finger into himself, wincing at the slight burning sensation in his muscles as they were touched and expanded. Forcing himself to relax, he had to admit that it was less painful doing it himself, but far less satisfying, perhaps because he knew what he was going to do next; there wasn't any mystery.

Zack was getting antsy and Cloud knew it. The Soldier's eyes were fixed on the blond's hand in his signature Zack-stare, but the rest of him fidgeted. Reaching out with his free arm, Cloud grabbed his lover's oily hand and moved it between his own legs. "I don't have to do it _all_ alone…"

The dark-haired man's face showed his intrigue as he quickly caught on to Cloud's meaning. The blond whimpered in pleasurable pain as Zack added a finger next to his own.

Surprisingly, Cloud did a lot of the work. Granted, most of it was moving Zack's finger to the places he wanted, but it served their purpose extremely well, and it was actually Zack who stopped everything before they both went over the edge.

Cloud whimpered quietly when Zack removed both of their fingers from within him. He wrapped his legs around the Soldier's waist, silently begging him to go on. Zack picked up the bottle again and took his time readying himself. Cloud groaned and squeezed his knees together around the older man's torso, making him laugh.

"Now, Cloud. That's no way to treat your superior officer."

Cloud used his legs to inch himself closer to the other man, causing Zack's breath to hitch, even as he laughed. "We're not even with Shin-Ra anymore, you dork." Cloud was on the very edge of coherency, and he wanted to feel his former colonel inside him almost desperately.

Zack squeezed his eyes shut as Cloud purposefully wiggled his hips, soundlessly making suggestions. The raven-haired Soldier wasn't sure how much more he could take. "How am I supposed to tease you if you're driving me insane?" he asked rhetorically. "Stupid, sexy little—"

A hand yanking him downwards by the back of the neck cut him off. Cloud kissed him with an urgency that made him tremble.

"Zack, shut up."

The Soldier chuckled. "Such words coming from you, Cadet! Just for that, drop and give me fifty!"

An evil thought crossed Cloud's mind, and he grinned the most devilish grin he could muster as he pulled himself up to his knees, each leg on either side of Zack's legs, making him hover over the larger man's lap. He draped his arms over his lover's shoulders and leaned his face close to Zack's. "Sir, yes… _sir_."

Before Zack knew what was happening, the cadet quickly lowered himself onto his lap, using his left hand to guide the Soldier into him and inherently impaling himself with a yelp in the process. Zack, in turn, let out a groan as Cloud surrounded him completely.

Resting his head on the dark-haired man's shoulder, the blond managed a hollow chuckle. "One…"

He started moving slowly, their sweat-soaked bodies creating friction in more than one good place. Cloud's head remained on Zack's shoulder, though he had turned so he could lick the salty flesh at the base of the Soldier's neck.

That was when Zack decided he had had enough teasing, and he pushed the cadet away so he was on his back again without breaking their contact. He grabbed the younger man's hips and pushed into him, delighting in the blond's airy moan. He picked up his pace, wanting to hear and see more.

Cloud gripped the bars of the bed's metal headboard and shut his eyes as Zack crashed into that sweet spot, creating the most blissful pain he'd ever felt. It was intoxicating, for both parties involved, and he pushed back, needing more. "Harder," he whispered, barely able to speak louder than that.

He didn't have to ask twice. Not only did Zack increase his speed, but he moved one of his hands from the blond's hips to lightly caress his arousal. A few synchronized movements from the older man had Cloud screaming his name as the light-haired cadet felt the fire inside him burst out in a few glorious moments. Zack thrust into him a few more times before Cloud felt him shudder as he released the breath he'd been holding with a hiss.

Cloud lay where he was, panting, but smiling contentedly. Zack sat back on his heels, unconsciously pulling his lover with him, not bothering to remove himself from the young blond. No, not yet, and Cloud was glad. He wanted nothing more than the feeling he had at that moment. He felt golden, pristine. He felt _loved_. He felt complete with Zack inside him, and he didn't want it to end.

But Zack looked tired, and Cloud also wanted him to be happy, so he figured he could forgive his former Colonel for slowly pulling out. Still, he didn't like the empty feeling he was left with when Zack moved away. The Soldier crawled to his side and lay down. Cloud didn't move except to turn his head toward the older man, that small, content smile reappearing on his face. Zack kissed his shoulder and rested his arm across the blond's torso as he settled in next to him. In return, Cloud placed a small kiss on his lover's forehead.

They lay that way for a long time, well into the morning, without speaking; just comfortable to be lying together, occasionally dozing off.

Cloud stared at the ceiling, his fingers slowly caressing the soft flesh of Zack's arm. The Soldier's warm breaths rhythmically ran over Cloud's shoulder, creating a pleasant tingling sensation.

The cadet couldn't help but wonder how he'd gotten to a place in his life where he could be so happy doing something so simple. He'd never received such love and acceptance from anyone, not even his mother. He certainly hadn't had any friends who would risk their lives for him when he lived in Nibelheim. He wouldn't say _any_ of the people from his hometown were his friends. They picked on him, bullied him, called him names. The adults never did anything about it because it wasn't a big deal to them, but for children, the most devastating experiences always come from other children.

Cloud frowned as he remembered his childhood. It baffled him how people who grew up in the same small town could be so different. He'd lived in Nibelheim since the day he was born, and so had all the other children. Not a single one of them had come from anywhere else. How was it that they had chosen Cloud as the outcast? He was exactly the same as them; at least that's what he thought. Had they seen something he didn't?

He'd never done anything to them, and he was by no means any weaker than they were. He knew that now. Training with Zack had proved to him that he was no weakling. Perhaps he was just gullible back then. He believed everything the other kids told him, leading him to think he really was weak, pathetic, and unworthy of anyone's time, especially Tifa's.

Tifa. At one point in his life, Cloud would have claimed love for the girl who, at the time, was so untouchable. Of course, that idea completely flew out the window the day Cloud first saw Sephiroth. Until then, the blond didn't think anyone could be more beautiful than Tifa, but as soon as he saw the silver-haired General on a newscast about the war in Wutai, he realized he'd been severely wrong.

The cadet furrowed his eyebrows and ceased the motion of his hand on Zack's arm. In retrospect, he wondered if his sexuality was what separated him from the other kids, even if he technically never told anyone. He frowned deeper. Maybe they knew before he did. Was that even possible? He sighed and decided he didn't care. He hadn't seen any of those people in over six years. He'd left to join SOLDIER, and they had died not long after.

Cloud felt tears sting his eyes. He wasn't sure why he wanted to cry over their deaths. He'd hated the children he grew up with. But he couldn't help feeling as though he could have stopped the incident that killed them; that killed everyone, his mother included. He couldn't help the guilt that flooded his mind when he replayed what happened.

He closed his eyes and resumed the motion of his hand, the tiny hairs on Zack's arm making his skin feel smooth and velvety. As much as he hated to think about it, he wouldn't be here if he hadn't killed the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on: Sephiroth.

He left town to join SOLDIER. That's what he told everyone. He was going to travel to Midgar and go to the Shin-Ra training school. He was going to be just like Sephiroth.

Back then, some part of him thought that, maybe, if he trained hard enough and managed to pull off becoming First Class, like the General, he might get noticed by the silver-haired angel. Maybe, Sephiroth might have even fallen in love with him. Cloud often fancied himself to be in love with the General, and he had just _known_ that if he could get Sephiroth to notice him, he might be loved back.

But Sephiroth didn't notice him. Not in the way he wanted to be noticed. Cloud had nearly fainted the first time he met his idol. Zack had introduced them, since the black-haired Soldier was also First Class and Sephiroth's right hand man. Cloud couldn't find words—he could barely breathe—as the General politely shook his hand. He would never forget that handshake; never forget the way those long, pale fingers wrapped around his own shaking hand in a surprisingly gentle manner. Sephiroth's hand was warm and smooth, which also surprised Cloud, considering how many battles he'd fought and how many people had died because of that beautiful hand that he had so desperately clung to.

He had spoken, too. "It's nice to meet you, Cloud. Zack speaks very highly of you." His low voice poured over Cloud's ears, seeming to cover them like tar so that he was completely deaf to anything else as he found the courage to look, once, into those glowing, mako-green cat eyes. Those eyes were flat, unemotional, and extremely unnerving, and Cloud hadn't been able to hold his gaze. He felt that Sephiroth had somehow looked into his mind and read his thoughts, and he forced himself to throw his eyes back to the ground. No wonder the General was undefeated in battle.

Of course, Zack had noticed Cloud's behavior, and had taken every opportunity to tease him about his "crush". Cloud had ignored him for the most part. He frequently saw Sephiroth in the halls and around other places in the Shinra building. But the cadet avoided speaking to the General, instead concentrating on working himself to the bone in his training, and hoping Sephiroth would hear of his accomplishments.

Cloud was jolted out of his memories when a knock sounded on the door followed swiftly by a call of, "Room service!" Cloud pushed himself up as far as he could, but Zack's arm tightened around his waist. He managed to prop himself against the headboard, and briefly considered trying to pry Zack off of him, but decided he shouldn't bother. The knock sounded again and his lips twisted into a mischievous grin.

"The door's open," he called just loud enough for the woman outside to hear. He watched the door open slowly and stifled a giggle as an attractive young woman in a white dress entered backwards, pulling a small cart into the room. She was humming softly, and quite off key. Cloud waited patiently for her to turn around, knowing full well that he was lying in bed with another man, and it was quite obvious that both he and Zack were very indecent, Zack especially, since the sheet that was covering Cloud wasn't quite covering the Soldier sprawled out on top of him.

Cloud watched with amused blue eyes as the woman arranged things on her cart. He didn't feel guilty about what the maid was about to turn around and see. Zack wasn't in a position where she'd see anything she shouldn't, mostly because Cloud was in front of him, and Zack had always been extremely open, sometimes a little _too_ open, about his body.

Cloud smiled. Zack knew he was pretty.

The woman turned around, a cheerful expression on her face. "Good morning, Sir!" she exclaimed before her expression fell. "Uh… sirs," she corrected nervously.

Cloud smiled sweetly at her. "Good morning. Forgive me for not getting up," he said, gesturing to the sleeping man he was tangled in.

She seemed unable to tear her eyes away from them. "Oh, no p-problem, sir. Not at all. Th-think nothing of it…"

Cloud rested his head back on the headboard, resisting the urge to laugh at the appreciative look he knew he was receiving from the young maid. Had he not been very much in love with the man lying on top of him, he might have tried to make a move on the maid. She was very pretty. His grin grew. _Sorry, honey, _he thought. _Zack's prettier._ He played with a lock of the Soldier's hair, trying to make it obvious that he was very comfortable with the situation, but even more, trying to make it obvious that he knew the maid was very _un_comfortable.

He wasn't quite looking at her—he purposely stared at Zack lovingly—but he could see her out of the corner of his eye. He chuckled softly as she busied herself, going back to her humming, but faster, more nervous (and, if possible, even more off key) than before.

She made her way around the room, dusting things, straightening everything up, and making it extremely obvious that she was trying very hard to keep her back to the bed. Cloud considered trying to make conversation, but Zack gave him a better idea.

The Soldier mumbled something against Cloud's chest and snuggled closer to him, the elder's legs finding those of the younger as he pulled himself closer. Cloud almost laughed out loud when he _felt_ just exactly what Zack was dreaming about rubbing on his thigh under the sheet.

"Mmm… Cloud…" the Soldier mumbled.

The blond stifled a giggle as the young maid discontinued her humming and slowed her work, obviously listening. "Yes?" he asked loud enough to indulge her curiosity.

Zack tightened his legs around Cloud's. "Touch me…"

There was an abrupt clatter as the maid dropped her duster and nearly tripped over a chair. Cloud's stomach hurt from trying so hard to hold in his giggles.

"Are you all right?" he asked once the threat of laughter had passed.

She struggled to stand and faced him with her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Don't be." She avoided eye contact. "And don't worry about him, he does it all the time." He was surprised, and thoroughly entertained, that she was still there. He was not surprised, however, to see that her curiosity had won over as she looked up, briefly connecting gazes with him before letting her eyes wander.

He watched with unending amusement as she stared, little bits of brown hair falling over her face. Zack suddenly made a noise that was half moan, half whine. "Cloooouuuud…" The maid seemed startled, and whirled around to pick up her duster. She straightened her dress and put her supplies back on her cart. Turning around briefly to offer a quick smile, she hurried out the door, probably too dumbstruck to do much else.

"Bye!" Cloud called cheerfully.

Zack groaned quietly and yawned. "Is she gone already?"

Cloud looked at the mass of black hair that was Zack's head. "You were awake?" he asked, surprised.

Zack chuckled, but didn't move. "Yup."

Cloud slid himself down so he could look at his lover. "You sneaky little bastard," he accused light-heartedly.

The Soldier grinned. "Oh such harsh words falling from those lips. Let me kiss them away…" he said as he leaned forward to brush his lips over the blond's.

Cloud giggled. "You're a poet and you didn't even know it."

The older man ran a hand over the blond's chest. "Oh I knew it…" he murmured as he dipped his head to share another kiss. He deepened the pressure, kissing Cloud slowly and purposefully. He only pulled away just far enough to speak. "By the way, Cloud, you never did what I asked you to do."

The cadet looked at Zack questioningly. The Soldier grinned wider and whispered in his ear, his warm breath making the younger man shiver. "Touch me, Cloud." As he spoke he slowly guided Cloud's hand to exactly where he wanted it.

Cloud couldn't help the laugh that fell from his lips. "Aren't you EVER satisfied?"

Zack grinned and pressed himself into Cloud's hand. "Uh-uh."

With a sigh, Cloud did as he was asked, but that didn't stop him from speaking. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked as he placed a light kiss in the older man's cheek.

Zack replied between low moans. "I'm… perfectly happy with… what you're doing right now…"

Cloud laughed and picked up his speed, watching as the Soldier's face twisted in pleasure, his eyes half lidded and his lips parted. A warm hand slid over the blond's hip and rested there, squeezing slightly every few seconds. Zack's eyes suddenly shut tightly and his hand squeezed harder. "Keep going, Cloud…" he urged breathlessly. Cloud did so, moving closer so he could press their lips together. Their tongues meshed together, and that combined with the motion of Cloud's hand sent Zack's senses soaring, and he groaned loudly against the cadet's mouth. The Soldier collapsed back onto the bed and sighed.

Cloud chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Is there anything _else_ you'd like, oh great one?" he asked sarcastically.

Zack's eyes remained closed and he smiled softly. "Nope. I'm good."

The blond laughed. "Good. I'm going to shower then."

He made a motion to get up, but Zack took hold of his wrist before he could. "Now, why would you want to do that when you could stay here with me?" the Soldier asked as he pulled Cloud closer to him.

"Because," Cloud began as he leaned over to whisper in his lover's ear. "You got me all dirty…" He licked Zack's ear before yanking his arm away and leaping from the bed. Zack's eyes snapped open and he grabbed for Cloud, but the younger man was simply too quick. With a laugh, the Soldier laid back and closed his eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, we'll stop there for now. I can't make any promises about when the rest will be posted, because it's not done, and I do have other fics that I need to be writing. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. (In the meantime, why don't you go read my other stuff? *grin* -shameless self promotion, right there XD)

So. Feel free to review. But please be nice. I really didn't mean to put all those lemons in there… but… well, Zack's a horndog, so it's not really my fault. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. The lemons will probably quiet down after this… a little bit, anyway. We're going to get more into the serious stuff, which I love oh so much. ^_^


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